A little cheeky humor for this damp Columbus day. Brrr. My house is cold. I am too stubborn to acknowledge that fall is in fact here and that the heat - only occasionally - needs to be turned on. Sometimes I can get away with alternative heating, whether it is baking a batch of warm chocolate chip cookies or filling the house with the scent of mulled wine.

I love mulled wine. It brings together a few of my favorite things; deep earthy spices like cloves and star anise, warmth, and wine! I have found the best wine to use is a soft-bodied red, such as Unionville Vineyard’s Revolutionary Red, which has subtle fruity notes that are enhanced with the added mulled wine ingredients.

If you do not have a slow cooker at home, heat up ingredients in a pot on the stove. Just before it starts to simmer turn it down to low. As low as you can go. Put the lid on and let the flavors infuse for approximately 30 minutes or until you just can't wait any longer. If you do have a slow cooker - that is the way to go. Just follow the directions below. Set to warm and soon your house will be filled with rich warm aromas.

Another great thing about mulled wine is you can play with the flavors. Maybe you do want to add a little brown sugar, or better yet maple syrup. Have ginger laying around - grate some in for an added kick. Share with us your favorite mulled wine recipe!